8 - Masanori
Behind Ryoka's house, hidden beneath the ginkgo trees, Masanori trained. The katas that had been child's play to him but a jun earlier strained his tight muscles, pushing his body beyond his limit in less than an hour of reciting the bushi code to each swing of his naginata.
His frustration drove him to continue anyway.
Trapped in a village of yōkai, injured, with no one knowing where he was. What else could he do but bide his time? In his current state, he couldn't face the Nightmare again. At his full strength, he hardly kept it from consuming him every day that he was on the run.
If he had Hidekazu's help, maybe he could find a way. His ki, though still unrefined, came with the Goddess' blessing. Maybe with her favour, he could—no. Masanori's predicament came because he
